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Chelsea have been unable to convince Brighton and Hove Albion to part ways with Moises Caicedo so far this summer, and now a fresh update has emerged on a potential alternative that could be acquired instead.

What's the latest on Chelsea's interest in Edson Alvarez?

According to The Times (as relayed by Daily Mail), the Blues are interested in signing Ajax midfielder Edson Alvarez this summer.

As per the report, the west Londoners have put together a strong shortlist of midfield targets with Alvarez named as one of the players who could be signed instead of Caicedo this summer – Leeds United's Tyler Adams and Celta Vigo star Gabri Veiga are also potential options too.

Read the latest Chelsea transfer news HERE…

It is claimed that Mauricio Pochettino is keen to bolster the midfield options available to him ahead of next season, following a number of departures last month.

How good is Edson Alvarez?

Chelsea are in unfamiliar territory with Caicedo, as they are used to sealing deals for their top targets with ease but as the upcoming Premier League season looms, they need to prioritise deals that are more realistic and obtainable before they kick off against Liverpool next weekend.

According to ESPN, Brighton rejected a £80m bid from the Blues for their Ecuadorian midfielder last week, with the Seagulls keen to hold out on their £100m valuation.

As a result, the signing of Alvarez would be a great opportunity to bring in an experienced and quality midfielder who can add great depth in the centre of the pitch and would even be a huge upgrade on former loanee Denis Zakaria.

The 25-year-old is one of the hottest midfield prospects in Europe, ranking the top 1% of his positional peers across the Men's Next Eight Competitions for aerial duels won and clearances, as well as ranking in the top 10% for touches, progressive carries, progressive passes, pass completion and shots in total per 90 minutes played, as per FBref.

Not only that, Alvarez – who has a reported £40m price tag – ranked in the top five for touches, pass completion, progressive carrying distance and dribblers tackled out of every player in the Eredivisie during the 2022/23 campaign, proving that he is an incredibly talented midfielder who could be a highly valuable asset to Chelsea next season.

When comparing the Mexican midfielder's output with Zakaria's last season, Alvarez comfortably outperformed his positional peer in a number of key attributes including pass completion (88.7% v 87.6%), shot-creating actions per 90 (2.02 v 0.51), percentage of dribblers tackled (61.1% v 40%) and aerial duels won (57.1% v 0%).

The Ajax machine has been the recipient of high praise over his career so far, with talent scout Jacek Kulig outlining Alvarez's strengths, claiming he is "fast, tenacious & charismatic", and a "superb tackler" with "great ball playing ability".

With that being said, if Chelsea could secure a deal for Alvarez this summer it could significantly improve the performances in midfield next season and would provide Pochettino with a player who can offer both high-quality defensive strengths and consistency.

Yorkshire were powerless to stem Surrey’s batting assault as Division One’s three heaviest run-makers again took their toll

ECB Reporters Network12-Sep-20171:34

The highlights from a crucial round of the Specsavers Championship

Mark Stoneman batted with the assurance of a man who knows he should be Ashes-bound this winter to score a dominant 131 from 171 balls as Surrey cruised to 398 for 3 on day one of their Specsavers County Championship match against Yorkshire at the Kia Oval.There were also significant runs in the south London sun for Rory Burns, who made 75, and Kumar Sangakkara, who marked his return from the Caribbean Premier League by reaching a sublime 85 not out from 113 balls late in the day and adding an unbroken 143 in 35 overs with Ben Foakes, who is unbeaten on 64 from 104 balls.Sangakkara has now scored 1171 championship runs this summer, at an average of 117.10, and the Sri Lankan is joined in the top three of Division One run-makers by Stoneman (959 at 63.93) and Burns (922 at 54.23).Wicketkeeper-batsman Foakes, whose strokeplay lost nothing in comparison even with Sangakkara’s in the final session, cruised past 550 championship runs for the summer.Stoneman, back with his county after quietly impressing for England against the West Indies in his maiden Test series, in which he averaged 30 in three matches, included 22 fours in a very fine innings. There were 11 fours in his first fifty, which arrived after just 58 balls, and he was joined by an almost equally fluent Burns in an opening stand eventually worth 178 in 41 overs.Burns, who reached his fifty just before lunch, was adjudged caught at the wicket off Jack Brooks in the 41st over, aiming towards mid wicket to a ball which pitched in line with his pads – a decision he did not seem overly pleased with after striking 12 fours from 124 balls.Stoneman finally fell in the 57th over, edging a slash at a short ball from Tim Bresnan to slip. It was the 20th hundred of his first-class career and his fourth of this season.”The lads have been making sure I’ve kept my feet on the ground but it’s been great to get back and listen to all the banter,” he said. “Playing in those Tests was an unbelievable experience. It’s what I’ve dreamed of doing all my career and it’s what you play the game for. As for this winter’s tour, I’ve just got to try to score as many runs as I can for Surrey in these closing weeks of the season and hopefully things will go my way when selection [for the Ashes] comes around.”Mark Stoneman struck a hundred on his return from the Test arena•Getty ImagesYorkshire’s attack, already missing England one-day trio Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid and David Willey, was made to look toothless by the two left-handed openers after Surrey won a toss and chose to bat on a good-looking pitch and in warm sunshine. Even when they removed Burns, the 19-year-old Ryan Patel arrived to join Stoneman in a further stand of 55 for the second wicket.Then, after Stoneman fell, Yorkshire were faced with the sight of Sangakkara – with a championship average for the summer of 108.6 coming into this game – marching to the wicket with the scoreboard reading 233 for 2.Shortly before tea, Patel edged a drive at Ryan Sidebottom to be caught behind for 27, but that proved to be Yorkshire’s last success of a difficult day in which off spinner Azeem Rafiq also hobbled off with a leg injury after bowling 20 fruitless overs at a cost of 74 runs. Rafiq, who did come back on just before the close but still looked in discomfort, made the odd ball turn quite sharply, too, which will not have improved Yorkshire’s mood as they glance anxiously over their shoulder at the Division One relegation zone close behind them.There was a suggestion that Foakes had survived a sharp chance to slip off Rafiq early in his innings, shortly after tea, and Sangakkara looked to have given Steven Patterson a tough caught and bowled on 47 that was not taken. Otherwise, however, the third wicket pair were in complete command throughout the day’s last session.Sixteen overs with the second new ball could not dislodge Sangakkara and Foakes either, with Foakes racing to his half-century with four successive fours off Brooks, and Surrey finished the opening day within touching distance of a full five batting bonus points while Yorkshire have just one bowling point so far.On the second day Surrey will be looking to post a mammoth total, which would heap even more pressure on a Yorkshire team also without opener Adam Lyth, who yesterday celebrated the birth of his first child.

Manchester United have reportedly agreed a fee to send Harry Maguire to West Ham, but Everton want to convince him to join the Toffees instead by swapping him with a current player, according to a report from The Mirror.

Who are Everton signing this summer?

The Toffees are still very much interested in signing a new centre-back this summer, and Chelsea's Trevoh Chalobah has recently emerged as a potential target, having been told he is free to leave this summer, but there will be a lot of competition.

West Ham United and Crystal Palace have also shown an interest in signing the 24-year-old, but TEAMtalk report he is open to a move abroad, where the likes of AS Monaco, Lyon, Borussia Dortmund and Roma are all waiting in the wings.

Everton have also been tracking Red Bull Salzburg defender Oumar Solet, who has admitted he would be keen on a move to England, saying: "I have a lot of ambitions, to be honest. I’m just on my way – for sure the Premier League excites me a lot,"

"I feel it’s a league that I can perform in really well and it can bring me to the top. It’s probably the best league in the would."

Read The Latest Everton Transfer News HERE

Sean Dyche has recently made his interest in Maguire clear, with talks being held over a loan move for the 30-year-old, but there is a now a possibility that he could arrive at Goodison Park on a permanent basis.

That is according to a report from The Mirror, which states that Man United are plotting to sign Amadou Onana in a swap deal, with the Englishman potentially going in the opposite direction.

The centre-back is set to leave the Red Devils this summer, having been stripped of the captaincy by Erik ten Hag, and a move to Goodison Park is a real possibility, although it is unclear whether Everton would be interested in the proposed swap.

It is also detailed the Toffees could engage in a bidding war with West Ham United this summer, who have now agreed a fee but not yet completed a deal or agreed personal terms, per Fabrizio Romano, so perhaps the Onana sweetener could sway things back in the Blues' favour.

How much does Harry Maguire make a week?

The England international is currently tied down to a £190k-per-week contract at Old Trafford, so it is likely that Everton would have to fork out a huge amount on wages if they are to sign him this summer.

That said, there are indications he could be a quality addition to Dyche's squad, having been lauded as "unbelievable" and a "top professional" by Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips during the 2022 World Cup.

Out in Qatar, Maguire was very impressive, recording an average Sofascore match rating of 7.34, the joint-second highest figure of any player in the England squad, showing he is very much capable of performing at the top level.

However, Dyche should undoubtedly try and get a deal over the line without having to forfeit Onana, as the central midfielder has emerged as a key player for the Toffees, making 33 appearances in the Premier League last season.

The six-team franchise competition was originally due to be played in 2018 from March 14 until April 15 but could be brought forward by four months

Firdose Moonda13-Oct-2017South Africa’s domestic 20-over competition is likely to be moved into the window left vacant by the T20 Global League, which was postponed earlier this week. The six-team franchise competition was originally due to be played in 2018 from March 14 until April 15 but could be brought forward by four months, subject to a final board approval.In a teleconference on Thursday, the franchise CEOs were asked to confirm the feasibility of hosting the domestic T20 in that time and assured CSA it could be done. The only outstanding tick in the box is to check with the broadcasters but unlike the T20 Global League, CSA will not need to sign a new partner. SuperSport already hold the rights of all cricket played in South Africa.A massive boost for the domestic tournament will be that all the national players will be available to participate, which is usually not the case. That means South Africa’s players will not be granted NOCs to play in other leagues, such as the Bangladesh Premier League, in that time. It is also unlikely that international opposition will be sought over that period.”If there is an international tour in that time, only 12 or so guys will be playing. What about the rest of the players? They can’t sit around for six weeks and not do anything,” a source told ESPNcricinfo.CSA was believed to be exploring options for hosting one of Pakistan or West Indies but acting CEO Thabang Moroe said the board will not enter into an endeavour which will cost them money. Only incoming tours against India, England and Australia make CSA money, so any other opposition would be loss-making and CSA cannot afford to incur more expenses. Instead, they will spend money they would have spent anyway on the 20-over competition. All that remains is for them to find a sponsor for it. Courier company Ram opted not to renew their deal last season, and it was played without a corporate backer.When the competition was called the Ram Slam, it made headlines for the wrong reasons. A protracted match-fixing investigation took place from late 2015 until July this year during which seven players including four former internationals, Gulam Bodi, Alviro Petersen, Thami Tsolekile and Lonwabo Tsotsobe, were banned for between periods of two and 20 years. CSA maintained that no actual fixing took place but there were attempts made. Last season’s 20-over tournament was a low-profile affair which was played in November-December, while the Test team was in Australia.

The Supreme Court of India has asked the BCCI treasurer Anirudh Chaudhry to respond to a complaint made by the board’s CFO that Chaudhry gave him threats on more than one occasion

Sidharth Monga in Delhi29-Nov-2017Proceedings at the Supreme Court’s hearings into the BCCI’s new constitution took a bizarre sidestep on Wednesday after the board treasurer Anirudh Chaudhry was asked by the court to respond to a complaint that he issued “death” and “job” threats to a board official on three occasions.’Take potassium cyanide’ – threats in Rangnekar’s own words

Threat 1: 21 Jan 2017, BCCI Cricket Centre, Mumbai
“HT (honorary treasurer) called me inside the conference room. He told me to switch off my cell phone. Checked whether any camera is there in the conference room. Then said that FIR will be filed on CEO and CFO (myself) for misappropriation of funds i.e. because we used UBI account to run BCCI’s operations for the period 2 Jan to 20 Jan 2017. Then further said that this FIR will be finally turned as fake/untrue or court will reject the same but till that time for next 2 years at least our life (professional and personal) will be totally finished. On that I just said that CEO and CFO (myself) have acted on the basis of written instructions from SC/Lodha/Amicus Curie. HT said if I would have been in Haryana, by now I would have been evaporated. No one knew whether I was there in this world ever. (Death Threat)”
Threat 2: 6 Oct 2017, ITC Maurya, Delhi
“HT said that I should take Potassium Cyanide instead of Solvine (a tab for throat infection which was recommended by GV [Gaurav Virmani, Chaudhry’s assistant]). HT made this comment with a smile – Death Threat”
Threat 3: Later on 6 Oct 2017, ITC Maurya, Delhi
“HT said he will finish me soon. “. Do one mistake and (It is my time now. Make one mistake and I will finish you two. Be careful) (Death and Job Threat)”

The complaint was made in writing – according to the amicus curiae Gopal Subramanium – by the BCCI’s chief financial officer (CFO) Santosh Rangnekar who said that the alleged threats were made on January 21 and twice on October 6, 2017. The email seen by ESPNcricinfo suggests that Chaudhry allegedly singled out Rangnekar and sought to intimidate him by questioning every act of his as the CFO.Subramanium read out the allegations from Rangnekar’s complaint and said, “No treasurer – whatever his ancestry [Chaudhry’s father is a former BCCI president and grandfather a former union defence minister and Haryana chief minister] – can threaten the CFO.”The letter, Subramanium said, was sent to him by the solicitor of the court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA). “No office bearer has any authority to administer threats to the CFO,” Subramanium added. “To say that he will be liquidated.”One of the threats, according to Subramanium, was: “If you were in Haryana, you’d be evaporated by now.” The second, on October 6, took place at the ITC Maurya hotel in Delhi: “I will finish you. One more mistake, and you are over.” A third alleged threat was that when Rangnekar asked Chaudhry’s assistant to remind him of the name of the cough medicine he had earlier suggested, Chaudhry advised Rangnekar to take potassium cyanide instead.Chaudhry, who was also present at the hearing, told reporters that no such thing happened. “I am too shocked to react to these blatant lies. This is the first time, sitting in the court, that I have heard about this. As directed by the court, I will file my reply.”Asked to expand on what might have been the context of the alleged conversations, Chaudhry expressed ignorance. He was yet to read the written complaint that was presented in the court. However, he did go on to suggest that he had been singled out because he has not always been in agreement with the way things have functioned in the BCCI since the court asked the CoA to take over and oversee the implementation of the reforms suggested by the Lodha Committee.”I have been expressing my views on issues, including some financial matters, which probably have not been palatable to them and has resulted in this.”Chaudhry’s counsel said he was also not made aware of this complaint before the hearing. They have been given two weeks to respond.The actual matter at hand – the new BCCI constitution – was put off until the second week of January where the matter of the threats will also be taken up. The court was informed that the CoA has prepared a chart with the BCCI’s objections to the draft constitution and suggestions. Subramanium also requested the court to continue barring from the board’s Special General Meeting (SGM) those board officials who were disqualified and had attended the earlier SGM. “When your lordship has passed the order for one SGM, it has to apply to all SGMs.” An order regarding that is awaited.During the last hearing, on October 30, the court had said it was not going to hear any further arguments. Then, the matter for November 29 was listed under “final disposal at admission stage”, which raised hopes that this long-running case might finally reach a conclusion.

Celtic are plotting a summer swoop to sign Newcastle United forward Ryan Fraser, and a new report has revealed the club’s chances of bringing him to the Scottish Premiership.

Where was Ryan Fraser born?

Fraser was born in Aberdeen where he spent the early years of his career before moving to England to carry out spells at Bournemouth, Ipswich Town and finally Newcastle who he joined on a free transfer back in 2020, as per Transfermarkt, but despite having been at the club for three years, he could be on his way before the end of the ongoing window.

In the Premier League last season, the left-winger made just three starts and five substitute appearances across the whole of the campaign, via WhoScored, showing not only how out of favour he is but indicating that he may have to complete a move elsewhere should he want to receive more regular game time going forward.

The Scotland international still has another two years remaining on his contract in the northeast, so it mmay take some kind of fee to prise him away, but that doesn’t seem to be a problem for Brendan Rodgers who has set his sights on the attacker, though it’s not the first time he’s been linked with a switch to Parkhead.

Back in 2020, The Telegraph credited the Hoops with an interest in the 29-year-old before he finalised his move to St. James’ Park, so having already missed out on their target once, chiefs appear to be taking a second bite of the cherry in the hope of a more successful outcome this time around.

Are Celtic signing Ryan Fraser?

According to The Northern Echo, Celtic are “lining up a move” for Fraser in the final weeks of the window. The Glasgow outfit are “ready to make a formal approach” for the unwanted forward who has been “identified” by Rodgers as a “viable target” with the boss looking to bolster his ranks with another winger.

Newcastle are “unlikely to demand a significant transfer fee” because they want to get him off their books and wage bill having already demoted him to training with the development squad, not to mention that his number 21 shirt has been taken by their new signing Tino Livramento, so this is definitely one to keep a close eye on.

How much does Ryan Fraser earn?

At Newcastle, Fraser currently pockets £42k-per-week which he clearly isn’t earning considering that he’s been excluded from the first team fold, but he’s still got so much potential to offer so that could all change should he decide to put pen to paper at Celtic.

The Wasserman Client has posted 86 goal contributions (52 assists and 34 goals) since the start of his career which has previously seen him dubbed a “threat” to the opposition’s defence in the final third by journalist Josh Bunting, but he is also capable of playing in several other roles over the pitch.

Sponsored by Nike, Fraser is a versatile operator having been deployed in an incredible nine different positions since first bursting onto the professional scene, including three up top, four in the midfield and even two in defence, so for a player who really could cover every blade of grass should you ask him to adapt, he could be a fantastic bargain for Rodgers.

DBMSC hurt by a cluster of wickets

05-Nov-2017An excellent outing for Khaleej Times players, they controlled all departments of the game, the field placement was set precisely, they had DBMSC in the defense from the very 1st over. Each time the batsmen went aggressive, they lost wickets immediately, by the end of 5th over, the score was 26 runs for 4 wickets.Sajid was the only batsmen who managed to keep scoring runs by taking singles & doubles to keep the score ticking, his innings of 16 runs and staying not out till the end helped DBMSC to end of their innings at 50 runs. The 2 run outs at the end of the innings didn’t help DBMSC to score a bigger total.Chasing 51 to win, Ram got out early on but the onslaught of Tharindu was spectacular, he hit 3 towering sixes followed by couple of fours. His blistering innings of 32 runs came off just 11 balls.Once retired out, the later batsmen ensured the game was over by the 4th over for loss of just 1 wicket; they hit regular shots without any risks.

Aston Villa could lose Lucas Digne this summer, but journalist Fabrizio Romano has revealed something that will see the Villans land a huge profit from any such move.

How old is Lucas Digne?

The Villans experienced a huge turnaround in fortunes last season, with Unai Emery replacing Steven Gerrard and guiding his side into the European places after a brilliant run of form.

While last Saturday's 5-1 defeat away to Newcastle United was a horrible way for Villa to start their Premier League campaign, there are still hopes that they will go up another gear in 2023/24. The signings of Pau Torres, Youri Tielemans and Moussa Diaby could all prove to be inspired, while Nicolo Zaniolo is also coming in from Galatasaray, in what is another exciting acquisition.

Read the latest Aston Villa transfer news HERE…

There is much focus on potential incomings at the moment, but players could also be heading out of the exit door before the end of the month, with Digne one of those who may move on to pastures new.

Now 30 years of age, the Frenchman has struggled to consistently make a positive impact at Villa Park since arriving from Everton in 2022, scoring twice and registering four assists in 48 appearances.

Will Lucas Digne leave Aston Villa?

Writing on Twitter on Wednesday morning, Romano provided an update on Villa's pursuit of Marcos Acuna, but also revealed their is Saudi interest in Digne:

"Aston Villa have genuine interest in Marcos Acuna. He's on the list as potential next target, no agreement on fee with Sevilla; player keen on PL experience

"Lucas Digne could leave as Saudi clubs & also two European clubs are keen on signing him. Zaniolo, arriving today."

There is no doubt that Digne has been an underwhelming signing for Villa, considering he has won 46 caps for France and been lauded as "fantastic" by Marco Silva during their time together at Everton, so getting a big chunk of cash from a Saudi suitor would be no bad thing.

The former Blues man certainly didn't impress in the aforementioned drubbing at Newcastle last weekend, losing possession 13 times and only completing three out of eight accurate crosses, and at 30, he could be a player who is on the wane at this point in his career.

Should Digne depart for Saudi in the near future, it is imperative that they replace him with a strong option, however, or Emery will be left with a lack of options at left-back. There was no recognised out-and-out alternative to him on the substitutes' bench at St James', so it looks like an area of the pitch that could end up being problematic if Alex Moreno cannot stay fit.

Should Digne end up staying put beyond the summer transfer window, it certainly wouldn't be a bad thing, but far more consistency is required from him moving forward. Moreno is the top option, but he is currently sidelined with a hamstring injury, so more depth could be further required as Villa look to impress across four different competitions this season.

Arsenal have made significant changes already this summer, with players both coming and going as Mikel Arteta bids to improve on his side’s rise to being title contenders last season.

The Spaniard and Edu have welcomed over £200m worth of talent this window, with Kai Havertz, Jurrien Timber, Declan Rice and David Raya bolstering the depth and quality within the squad.

Despite starting the season with a maximum six points out of six, the Gunners are expected to see more movement at the club before the end of the transfer window, with speculation pointing the north Londoners to a host of talent.

Who could Arsenal sign this summer?

In recent weeks, Arteta’s side have been linked primarily with defensive names, following the devastating blow to Timber just 50 minutes into the Premier League season.

Read the latest Arsenal transfer news HERE…

The Dutchman will be out for a case of months as he nurses an anterior cruciate ligament injury, as the Express listed Crystal Palace colossus Marc Guehi and Bayer Leverkusen titan Edmond Tapsoba among potential options.

There has also been speculation of movement in the midfield, with FootballTransfers hinting earlier this month that Arsenal could weigh up a move for Inter Milan star Nicolo Barella.

The report claims that the club had ‘indications’ that the 26-year-old could be ‘open to a move’, in a move that could cost around £80m with that being the price Inter value their player at.

What is Nicolo Barella’s playing style?

Having once been lauded as a “warrior” by his former manager Antonio Conte, Barella is identifiable as a typical box-to-box midfielder, with a skill set covering both the defensive and offensive tasks in the engine room.

Last season in Serie A, the Inter gem netted six goals and registered six assists for the Nerazzurri, as well as averaging an impressive 1.6 key passes per game to showcase just how efficient he can be in the final third from midfield.

In terms of playmaking, the Cagliari-born sensation orchestrated things in the middle of the park for Inter, averaging a mammoth 7.37 progressive passes per 90 in last term's league campaign, asserting his importance in the squad.

For Arsenal, links to Barella could be an exciting and ambitious prospect, especially with reference to the club’s progression as a squad, with a host of deadwood already exported this summer, with more expected to depart.

One name that is rumoured to be close to the exit is midfielder Albert Sambi Lokonga, who had an underwhelming half-season loan spell at Crystal Palace, in which he found himself as an unused substitute for eight out of the 10 final games for the Eagles, via Sofascore.

Offloading the Belgian could be a strong move for the Gunners, especially if it allowed room for a signing in the calibre of Barella to replace him.

While it’s somewhat unfair to compare the Italian to the 23-year-old, the change in personnel could represent a far bigger narrative at the Emirates, in what is a positive change in tide.

The 26-year-old machine has begun the season with Inter, having already rejected a Premier League move to Newcastle United earlier in the window, which makes interest from Arsenal questionable as to how it could prevail.

There is, however, no doubt of the Serie A gem’s quality and the level of performance he could bring to north London, so Edu Gaspar and the club's recruitment staff must look to seal this signing as a serious statement of intent towards their ambition this season, and letting Lokonga leave could open a clear path for Barella in Arteta's first-team squad.

John Davison, mentor to Australia offspinner Nathan Lyon, believes improved batting performances from Australia have also aided the spinner’s success after a difficult period last year

Daniel Brettig in Perth09-Dec-2017Nathan Lyon’s outstanding displays this year have made him the best spin bowler in the world, and are all the more remarkable for the fact that he was “thrown under the bus” when the Australia team was not performing, his mentor John Davison has said.Public criticism of Lyon from the captain Steven Smith and the coach Darren Lehmann, during last year’s tour of Sri Lanka and the home losses to South Africa that followed, had the spin bowler questioning his own place in the team. He came within a hair’s breadth of being dropped for the Adelaide Test against South Africa, only to be reprieved largely due to an injury to Steve O’Keefe.Davison, who alongside Darren Berry has been a major influence on Lyon’s bowling over the past decade, said that it was no coincidence that Lyon’s best year in Test cricket had been accompanied by some better batting displays from Australia, providing the 30-year-old with more scoreboard heft around which he could weave his increasingly intricate spinner’s web.”I think he’s been thrown under the bus a little bit, in terms of when we went through that little bad period 12 months ago as a team,” Davison said in Perth. “I think the fact the batters are scoring runs more consistently now helps out your spinner massively. I don’t think he was actually bowling as badly as his figures may have suggested back against South Africa and Sri Lanka, but the fact we’re putting the opposition under more pressure helps the bowlers massively.”The fact his figures weren’t so flattering and in conditions where spinners were meant to flourish, but when you haven’t got runs on the board it makes it difficult to put the pressure on. Young Sri Lankan batters in conditions they’re really familiar with, that’s tough.”The majority of his career he’s been battling for a steady position in the team, in general they’ve been looking for who is coming through rather than possibly backing him to the hilt. Over the last 12 months he’s grown in confidence on and off the ground, I’m sure you see it in the media that he’s a lot more confident within himself. As a 30-year-old spinner who’s in good shape, hopefully he can carry on a lot longer.”As for how long Lyon can keep going, Davison said the keys would be staying both mentally fresh and physically fit to reach whatever milestones he aims for. “At that top end it all depends on how fresh you can stay,” Davison said. “We’ve had conversations about how he can keep adding to his game, and I think the biggest challenge after 30 is staying on the park. So there’s some challenges in that area too in terms of keeping yourself in good enough condition to compete at that top end.”We’ve spoken a lot about developing a ball that hits the stumps, particularly to left-handers. He bowled a lot more of it in the Adelaide Test. He can just keep getting better and better, particularly now that he’s got such good control of that stock ball which is such an effective stock ball. In my opinion he’s the best spin bowler in the world, particularly for his record in Australia … he’s got three subcontinent spinners above him in the world rankings, but they’re playing over 50% of their matches in spin-friendly conditions.”

“The majority of his career he’s been battling for a steady position in the team, in general they’ve been looking for who is coming through rather than possibly backing him to the hilt.”John Davison, Nathan Lyon’s mentor

There is very little doubt about Lyon being chosen for the WACA Test, despite its historical connection with pace bowling. “Nathan’s greatest attribute is the bounce that he gets, and there’s always a nice breeze to bowl into at the WACA, so it’s good shape in the air. I’d think he’d be one of the first picked,” Davison said. “His ICC ranking’s really high at the moment and he’s full of confidence, so he’s a good influence around the group as well, and someone who can bowl a lot of overs if needs be, I think he’s the man for the job.”Davison also spoke sympathetically about England’s spin bowler Moeen Ali, who has struggled with a cut spinning finger against Australia’s aggressive batting line-up. In that he has mirrored the battles faced by Graeme Swann four years ago, when elbow problems were compounded by the hosts not allowing him to settle.”Finger spinners in general struggle in Australian conditions, it’s a really tough place to bowl,” Davison said. “I think having the finger injury he’s had has made it difficult for him and he’s just missed his lengths a bit, but don’t discount how difficult it is with skin off your finger and trying to bowl at the top level, it’s a tough task.”The biggest thing you’ve got to try and do is stay in the game for as long as possible, when you get the opportunity to get in a rhythm and bowl for lots of overs. I think Australian batsmen in general when they see the opportunity to go after a spinner they’ll really target that. It’s something Darren Lehmann definitely encourages our batters to do.”